Corrigendum to ＂The antibody against a nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein can result in reproductive failure＂ by M. Wang et al.

In published paper by M. Wang et al [1], the Table 2 in page 186 was inadvertently misrepresented. The correct statistical method of the average litter size and standard error should count all animals （including non-pregnant which were considered to have zero pups） whereas we had included only mice that had been pregnant previously. Now, the correct representation of Table 2 should be：     

Inhibition of mouse acrosome reaction and sperm-zona pellucida binding by anti-human sperm membrane protein 1 antibody

Aim： To investigate the possible functions of human sperm membrane protein （hSMP-1） in the process of fertilization. Methods： A 576-bp cDNA fragment of HSD-1 gene coding for the extracellular domain of hSMP-1 was cloned and expressed. The localization of this protein on human and mouse sperm was determined by indirect immunofluorescent staining by using anti-recombinant hSMP-1 （anti-rhSMP-1） antibodies. Sperm acrosome reaction and spermzona pellucida （ZP） binding assay were carried out in 10-week-old BALB/c mice. Results： Recombinant hSMP-1 was successfully cloned and expressed. The expression of the native protein was limited on the acrosome of human and mouse sperm. Treatment of anti-rhSMP-1 antibodies significantly decreased the average number of sperms bound to each egg. Meanwhile, the percentage of acrosome reaction was decreased in comparison to pre-immune control after treatment with anti-rhSMP-1 （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusion： The results suggest that anti-rhSMP-1 antibody inhibited mouse acrosome reaction and sperm-ZP binding.     

Gene and protein expressions of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in a bone tunnel for tendon-bone healing

Purpose

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) injected around tendon grafts can enhance tendon-bone healing and promote fibrocartilage formation. To understand gene and protein expressions of cells during tendon-bone healing, auto-BMSCs were implanted into a bone tunnel in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in a rabbit model.

Methods

BMSCs were harvested from New Zealand white rabbits. By an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction model, 1 × 10⁶ BMSCs in 0.35 mL of fibrin glue was injected into bone tunnel as Fibrin-BMSC group. Only fibrin glue (Fibrin group) was injected as control. Three chondrogenesis genes and proteins, including Sox 9, collagen Type II (COII), aggrecan, and three osteogenesis genes and proteins, including Runx2, collagen type I (COI), and osteocalcin, between Fibrin-BMSC and Fibrin group were compared by real-time polymerase chain reaction assay and immunohistochemical assay postoperation.

Results

In real-time polymerase chain reaction assay, Sox9, COII, aggrecan, COI, and osteocalcin expressions upregulated and Runx2 downregulated were determined in Fibrin-BMSC group at 1 week. COII, aggrecan upregulated, and Runx2 and osteocalcin downregulated were determined at 4 weeks. In immunohistochemical assay, only Sox9, COII, and aggrecan proteins in only Fibrin-BMSC group were observed at 4 weeks. The protein expression as same as gene expression was obtained in a bone tunnel.

Conclusion

Auto-BMSCs promoted COII and aggrecan expression and reduced Runx2 and osteocalcin expression in a bone tunnel. It demonstrated that these cells could enhance fibrocartilage formation because of higher chondrogenesis expression during tendon-bone healing.     

糖尿病肾病患者血清RBP4水平与颈动脉病变的相关性分析

目的：探讨糖尿病肾病（DN）患者血清RBP4水平与颈动脉病变的相关性。方法：收集2013年~2014年本院住院DN患者345例,应用独立样本间t检验、双变量相关分析以及Pearson’s检验对患者血清RBP4水平和颈动脉病变的相关性进行分析。结果：随着血清RBP4水平上升,颈动脉斑块、颈动脉狭窄发病率上升,平均颈动脉内膜中层厚度与颈动脉斑块、狭窄、e GFR相关（P〈0.05）;RBP4水平与CIMT差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。结论：血清RBP4水平与DN患者颈动脉斑块、狭窄发病率呈正相关。     

Isolation and characterization of a mesenchymal cell line that differentiates into osteoblasts in response to BMP-2 from calvariae of GFP transgenic mice

We established the clonal mesenchymal cell line, GFP-C3 (C3), which differentiates into osteoblasts in response to BMP-2 from calvariae of newborn green fluorescence protein (GFP) transgenic mice. This cell line cultured with control medium expressed low levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and osterix mRNA and undetectable ALP and osteocalcin mRNA. Incubation of these cells with rhBMP-2 increased ALP activity dose-dependently and induced substantial levels of ALP, osteocalcin and osterix mRNA expression. C3 cells infected with adenovirus vector encoding BMP-2 (AdBMP-2) or Runx2 (AdRunx2) showed greatly increased ALP mRNA expression in a time-dependent fashion. Transduction with AdRunx2-induced expression of ALP and osteocalcin mRNA, but not osterix mRNA by day 3. Transduction with AdBMP-2 induced apparent expression of ALP and osterix mRNA by day 1 after transduction, but induced only weak expression of osteocalcin mRNA day 3 after transduction. Transplantation of C3 cells transduced with AdBMP-2 into back subfascia in wild-type mice with a complex of poly-d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid/gelatin sponge (PGS) generated ectopic bone formation involving GFP-positive osteoblasts and osteocytes 2 weeks after transplantation. C3 cells transduced with AdRunx2 or AdLacZ failed to induce ectopic bone formation. Transplantation of C3 cells transduced with AdBMP-2 into craniotomy defects in wild-type mice using PGS as a carrier induced bone formation 2 weeks after transplantation, and replaced defects 4 weeks after transplantation. C3 cells transduced with AdRunx2 failed to induce bone repair after transplantation into craniotomy defects. These results indicate that C3 cells retain differentiation potential into osteoblasts in response to BMP-2. They are useful tools for analyzing the process of osteoblast differentiation in vivo after transplantation.     

The role of phospho-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and vascular endothelial growth factor in a model of chronic heart failure

We established a stable and reproducible animal model of chronic heart failure (CHF) in sheep to investigate biomolecular changes. Therefore, two biomarkers, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) were examined to reveal their role during chronic ischemic conditions of the heart. AMPK was studied because it plays an important role in cellular energy homeostasis and its upregulation is associated with myocardial ischemia, whereas VEGF-A was studied because it acts as an important signaling protein for neoangiogenesis. We examined 15 juvenile sheep (mean weight, 78±4kg; control, n=3; ShamOP, n=2; coronary microembolization [CME], n=10). CHF was induced under fluoroscopic guidance by multiple sequential microembolizations (MEs) through bolus injection of polysterol microspheres (90μm, n=25.000) into the left main coronary artery. CME was repeated up to three times at 2- to 3-week intervals until animals started to develop stable signs of CHF. All animals were followed for 3 months. Phosphorylation of AMPK, marking the activated protein form, was detected by Western blotting. VEGF-A and vascular endothelial growth factor-receptor 2 (VEGF-R2) mRNA were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was used as a reference housekeeping gene. All 10 CHF animals developed clinical signs of CHF as indicated by a significant decrease of cardiac output, decreased ejection fraction, as well as occurrence of tachycardia and tachypnoea. Western blots showed significant phosphorylation of AMPK in CME animals compared to the control group (phospho-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α) (GAPDH control: 0.0, CME left ventricle [LV]: 0.39±0.20, CME right ventricle [RV]: 0.53±0.30; P<0.05). VEGF-A and VEGF-R2 expression in CME animal myocardium was within the range of the control group, but this data did not reach statistical significance due to the small size of this group. While microinjection was performed into the left main coronary artery, phosphorylation of AMPK and expression of VEGF-A and VEGF-R2 were significantly higher in the RV than in the LV. Multiple sequential intracoronary MEs can effectively induce myocardial dysfunction with clinical and biomolecular signs of chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy. Quantitative analysis of biomolecular markers showed a significantly higher phosphorylation of AMPK in CHF animals compared with control myocardium.     

Directing the expression of a green fluorescent protein transgene in differentiated osteoblasts: comparison between rat type I collagen and rat osteocalcin promoters

The osteocalcin (OC) and a 2.3 kb fragment of the collagen promoter (Col2.3) have been used to restrict transgenic expression of a variety of proteins to bone. Transgenic mice carrying a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene driven by each promoter were generated. Strong GFP expression was detected in OC-GFP mice in a few osteoblastic cells lining the endosteal bone surface and in scattered osteocytes within the bone matrix in long bones from 1-day-old to 6-month-old transgenic animals. Similar findings were noted in the forming tooth in which only individual odontoblasts expressed GFP without detectable expression from the dental pulp. This limited pattern of OC-GFP-positive cells contrasts with the uniform expression in the Col2.3GFP mice in which large proportion of osteoblasts, odontoblasts, and osteocytes strongly expressed the transgene. To assess transgene expression during in vitro differentiation, marrow stromal cell and neonatal calvarial osteoblast cultures were analyzed. The activity of both transgenes was restricted to mineralized nodules but the number of positive cells was lower in the OC-GFP-derived cultures. The different temporal and spatial pattern of each transgene in vivo and in vitro reveals potential advantages and disadvantages of these two transgene models.